Emergency lighting and power unit



EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER UNIT Filed Oct. 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN ENTOR I f I July 9, 1935. J. H. WALKER 2,007,415

EMERGENCY LIGHTING AND POWER UNIT Filed Oct. 25, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JJYVENTOE -f0/Z/2E Wk'er Patented July 9, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EMERGENCY LIGHTHVG AND POWER, UNIT Application October 25,

, 6 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements inan emergency lighting power unit, and has for its primary object to provide in a evice of this character, means for actuating a generator by the use of the water from the mains of cities and towns in connection with means to automatically start the operation of said generator and to throw the generator into the lighting or power circuit, simultaneously with the starting of the generator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple arrangement of well-known elements to produce a unit consisting of an electric generator, a water wheel for actuating said generator,

'the latter including a valve controlled nozzle connected with a city or town water supply, a solenoid connected with the main supply of electricity and normally retaining the valve in a closed position, said solenoid being released upon the shut off of the main supply of electricity so that the valve will be opened, causing the water to issue from the nozzle and operate the water wheel which in turn actuates the generator to generate an emergency supply of electricity sufficient to light the lights or certain ones thereof of buildings, such as theatres, hospitals, schools, hotels, auditoriums and other public meeting places and residences if desired.

' With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to use and make the same, I shall describe its -construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application; in which:

Fig. 1 is an end view of an emengency lighting and power unit, constructed in-accordance with my invention, a portion thereof being broken away to illustrate details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the electrical connections.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating the cooperative relation of the several operating elements.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied, 3 represents a water wheel housing having-an outlet 4 for connection with a sewer or other place of disposal for water and also provided with an inlet 5 to which is connected a 'nozzle Gfithe outlet of which is controlled by a glve l. The valve is moved to a closed position anually through the medium of a lever 8, piv- 1927, Serial No. 228,536

oted at 9 to one end of the valve and also provided at IU as a fulcrum, while said valve is moved to an open position by a means such as a spring II which may be coiled about the valve rod with one end of said spring engaging a collar on the valve rod and the other end of the spring engaging a part of the fitting which forms the inlet to the water wheel casing.

The nozzle 6 is properly positioned relative to the blades or buckets l2 of the water wheel l3, the latter being mounted on a shaft I4 connected with or as an extension of the shaft of the generator l5.

As particularly shown in the diagram, one pole of the generator I5 is connected by a wire IS with one contact ll of a double pole double throw switch l8. The other pole of the generator is connected by a wire IS with the continuation contact member 20. These contact members under certain conditions are adapted to be engaged by the switch blades 2i and 22 which are connected to the wires 23 and 24 respectively, leading to electric lamps 25 of a building which may regulate lighting units or they may be such lights as are used for the exits in theatres, and in addition, these lights may be connected in the circuit here shown as wires 26 and 27 leading from wires 24 and 23 respectively, to electric lamps 28 and a power device 29, such as a motor, and in this secondary circuit there may be a switch 30 so that said secondary circuit can be manually and selectively controlled.

In addition to the above, the switch l8 in-- cludes two other coacting contact'members 3| and 32 with which the blades are adapted to engage under certain conditions and the last mentioned contact members are connected with the main supply wires 33 and 34 respectively.

' From the main supply wires run branch wires 35 and 36 to a solenoid 31 which with the switch l8 may be located in a control box 38 so that the core rod 39 of the solenoid may be connected with the lever 8.

While I have described my invention embodying a perfect form, it will be obvious that certain changes and modifications can be made, as for instance, the conductors from the generator might be connected directly to the wires in the building so that as soon as the generator is started, the lights in the building will be lighted without having to open a switch connected with the main supply wires and close another switch connected with the wires from the generator.

In actual practice, when the main supply wires 33 and 34 are energized, the lever 8 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 which closes the valve I, moves the switch blades into the contact members 3| and 32 which forms the in-put of the main electrical supply and at the same time positions the solenoid core rod 39 so that said solenoid acts thereon to hold the parts in the positions above referred to, but upon a discontinuance of the main electrical supply, the solenoid will be deenergized so that the spring M will act and open the water valve and simultaneously throw the switch blades into the contact members I? and which form the in-put of the emergency electrical supply from the generator. Where a branch circuit illustrated by the parts 26 to 30 inclusive is used, the switch 30 may be closed by a person in charge if it is desired to use the lamps 28 in addition to those designated by the numeral 25. The lamps might be exit lights from a theatre or any other public auditorium and the lamps 28 the main,

lighting system so that if the main electrical supply should fail, the exit lamps will be lighted, but if any excitement occurs, the lamps 28 may be lighted by the manual operation of the switch 30. It is tobe understood also that each of the lamps 28 may be controlled by a switch and this circuit may be provided with a power device 29 such as a motor as for use in a motor operated motion picture projector.

Of course I' do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown, as these may be varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is; Y v

1. In a device of the character stated, a water wheel connected with a source of constant water supply under pressure, a valve .to control the flow of water to the wheel, a generator connected with the wheel, a switch, a main electrical supply connected with the switch and said generator also connected to said switch, electric fixtures also connected with the switch, means controlled by the main electrical supply to hold the valve in a closed position and maintain electrical connection between the main electrical supply and the fixtures, and means to open said valve and place the generator in electrical connection with the fixtures upon the discontinuance of the main electrical supply.

2. An emergency electrical system comprising, in combination, a water wheel, a supply of water for operating said wheel, means to control the same, a main electrical supply forv furnishing electrical energy, a generator run by said wheel to furnish emergency electrical energy, a switch to selectively connect the main or emergency supplies with an output, a solenoid connected with the main supply to hold the water control means closed and the switch connected between the main electrical supply and the output, and means to open the water control means and throw the switch upon discontinuance of the main electrical supply.

3. The combination-with a circuit containing translating devices, of a dynamo, a source of electric current, switching mechanism for alternately connecting said circuit with said source and said-dynamo, a fluid operated driving means for said dynamo, a valve controlling the supply of fluid to said fluid operated means andelectromagnetic means in circuit with said source and controlling said valve and switching mechanism.

4. The combination with a circuit containing translating devices, of a source of current, a dynamo, a fluid pressure operated means for driving said dynamo, switching mechanism for alternately connecting said circuit with said source and said dynamo, electro-magnetic means adapted to operate said valve and said switching mechanism, the connections between said valve and said electromagnet including a spring.

5. The combination with a circuit including lights connected in multiple branches, of a source of electric current, a dynamo, driving means for said dynamo, means controlled by said source for controlling said driving means, electromagnetic means permanently connected in shunt with said source and switching means controlled by said electromagnetic means adapted to alternately connect said circuit in circuit with said dynamo and said source.

6. The combination-with a circuit including lights connected in multiple branches, of a source of electric current, a dynamo, driving means for said dynamo, means controlled by said source for controlling said driving means, electromagnetic means permanently connected in shunt with said source and switching means controlled by said electromagnetic means adapted to alternately connect said circuit in circuit with said source and said dynamo, said switching means having contacts at which conductors from the terminals of said source terminate, contacts at which conductors from the terminals of said dynamo terminate and contacts at which the two sides of the lighting circuit terminate.

JOHN H. WALKER. 

